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ROCKAWAY TOWNSHIP Town leaders are continuing to move the ball forward with the Peterson Field recreation project.

Plans in the form of a concept drawing to improve Peterson Field and its surrounding recreation area were approved by the council last week and will be heading out to bid in the next couple of weeks, Business Administrator Patricia Seger said.

Two additional grass fields, a turf field, walking path and an ice rink are being considered. From lacrosse and football to pickleball, there would be something for everyone, said Mayor Michael Puzio.

Money has been earmarked for the recreation overhaul as far back as 2006 and Puzio said residents will finally be getting something for that money.

Officials would not speak to the overall estimated price tag for the project out of fear that it would affect bids for the work. But the project will be done in phases starting with low hanging fruit that those involved agree is reasonable, Puzio said.

These include turning Peterson fields one and two (closest to Fleetwood Drive) into a turf fieldfor baseball, football, softball and lacrosse;updating the playground, and repairing and improving the basketball and tennis courts, which have been in a state of disrepair and closed for a couple of years, said recreation director Bryan Coward.

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In general, a turf field"at the low end" can cost about$800,000, Coward said. Previous capital budgets show $100,000 set aside for the basketball courts in 2017; $40,000 was set aside for the tennis courts in 2019 and $50,000 was set aside that same year for new playground equipment.

Agreement can be found among the administration and the majority of the township council on all of the above. But the details of the community center, a metal pre-fabricated structure featuring two large gyms one a multi-purpose hardwood floor and the other currently proposed to be an ice rink will need to be hashed out, said Councilman Adam Salberg.

I have my own thoughts on the concept, not on the improvements for Peterson. I am all for that. That is why I voted for the concept, just not the ice rink. In the preliminary research that Ive done with other municipalities and taking a look at their feasibility studies its not very promising as a profitable venture.

"Startup and maintenance would come from our taxpayers and the percentage that would actually use it would be very small, Salberg said, adding that he would rather see the space double as a cultural center that could be more widely used.

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The playground updates are expected to begin this summer, ahead of other plans.

We are going out for a quote within a week or two to have an engineer design it and give an engineering estimate, Seger said. We want them out to bid in the fall and hopefully everything will be built by the spring or summer of next year.

Regardless of his concern with the ice rink Salberg voted to move forward with the project confident that it will be assessed at each step of the way. Neither Seger nor Coward expect a tax increase as a result of the project thus far.

Everything that we intend to move forward with is consistent with what past councils and the current council has funded, Coward said.

Gene Myersis a local reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community,please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Email:myers@northjersey.comTwitter:@myersgene

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Rockaway Township's recreation overhaul moves forward. Here are the plans - Daily Record